Wave and current motor



WAVE AND CURRENT MOTOR Filed March 18. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l lWVE/VTOR.

650m: 6''. Currrom Bx Jan. 3, 192& 1,654,959

G. E. CLAYTON WAVE AND CURRENT MOTOR Filed March 18. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 if 20 a /1 14 13 12 17 .v

I 8 l' l 6 7 5 I i I a 1 F 7 0 J 4 7 I/VVf/VTOR- 65am: 5, Curroq.

[Tran/1 5x Patented Jan. 3, 1928. 1

GEORGE E. CLAYTON, or Lorre BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

3 WAVE AND CURRENT Moron.

Applicationfiled )lIarch 18, 1926. serial 'No. 95,583.

-An object v,ofm-y invention is to provide a wave or'cu'rrent motor, in which the power shaft is continuously rotated in one directionxirrespective of the movement of the paddle wheel. v

Another object is to provide a plurality of motors all acting to continuously rotate a power shaft. 1 c Further objects are to provide a motor of the character stated which is simple in construction, and .efiective in operation; .'Other objects advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanyv 'ing drawing and subjoined detailed descrip tion and the appended claims In the drawings illustrating my invention. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my motors in operativeposition.

Fig.2 is a fragmentary plan view of the same; r 1

Fig. 3 is an end view of a motor withthe hood removed. i Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the power shaft.

verse sectional view of the motor.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on. liney6-6 Fig. 5. r

Referring more particularly tofthe draw- My motors a may or may not be pla'cedin tandemas shown in Figs. '1 and 2. The 'motors each comprise pontoons 1, 2, which are preferably cylindrical bodieseach of which are pointed at both ends as at 3. Thefpontoons'fioat on the water and a paddle wheel 4 is rotatably mounted between them, with the axial line thereof about on a line with the top of said pontoons. A hood 5-rests on the top of the pontoons 1, 2 and the upper half of the wheel 4 is enclosed thereby. The purpose of the hood is to prevent a wave from simultaneously striking both the upper wheel blades, and thus not rotate the wheel. The hood encloses the upper blades of the wheel 4:, and the lower part of said wheel is all that is exposed to the force of' the waves, and rotation of the wheel is thus insured. Thepontoon's1, 2 are each slidably mounted on a pair of vertical guide posts6-+7 respectively which posts aresecurely embedded in a suitable foundation 8. These 'posts extend through sleeve 6-*7 inthe pontoons 1, 2 which serve as guides and still withhold the water from the inside of said pontoons,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fr'aginentary transand lower any other desirable gu-idemeans may also be mp oyed.

The pontoons adepending apron 9, 10 respectively, which extendlongitudinally thereof and along the inner surface so that the forceofthe wave is di-rectedinWard-ly towards the wheels.

A shaft 11 extends across thepontoons and is journaled in a bearing 12 on the pontoon 1. A sleeve 13 surrounds'the shaft 11 and" 1 2 are each provided wlth the wheel .4 is secured thereto. A uni-di-' rec't-ional clutch means. leis provided'on the wheel at to couple said wheel tothe shaft 11. This clutch includes-a housinglo former on the wheel 4 about the shaft 11, and acover late 16 closes the outer end thereof. --A rate et wheel 17 is secured to the shaft 11 and dogs 18 are pivotally mountedon the housing 15 and engage the ratchet wheel to rotate the shaft ino'ne direction, only. v

A housing 19 is mounted on the pontoon 2 andthe shaft 11 and sleeve 13 extend into said housing- A vertical drive shaft 2,0 is journaledin the housing 19 and rises therefrom. This drive, shaft is rotated con-- vstantly in one direction by the following means.

A bevel'gear 21 is secured to the lower end of the drive shaft 20, and bevel gears 22, '23 mesh therewith.-

to a drum 2 1, and the drum and gearare journaled on the shaft 11'. A ratchet wheel 25 is secured to the sleeve 13' and dogs 26 *arepi'votedfto the drum 24 and engage said wheel in only one rotational direction. 7

The shaft 20 .is constantly rotated in one direction as follows: clockwise rotation of the wheel (looking from the the dogs518 to slip over the wheel 17, the sleeve 13 rotating drum 241 and gear 22.- thus rotating'gear 21 and shaft 20; Connter clockwise rotation of the wheel 1 causes the dogs 18 to engage wheel 17 and rotate the shaft '11. 'The' dogs 26 slip over the ratchet wheel 25 so that the drum 2 1 is not driven. The .dogs 29 engage the ratchetwheel28'to drive the drum 27 and gear 23 which rotates the shaft 20 in the same direction as when rotated by the gear22. A'slip'joint 30 is provided in the shaft 20 to-compensate for the rise and fall'of the pontoons 1,2011 the p'o'sts6, 7.

A power shaft- 31is jou'rnaled on a platform 32 on top of the posts 6, 7, and is driven from the shaft 20 by the level gears The gear 22 is secured left) causes 33, 34. A drum 35 to which the gear is secured is freely rotatable on the shaft 31 and dogs 36 on said drum are adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 37 secured to said shaft to drive the same. A second drum 38 is journaled on the end of the shaft 31' opposite the drum 35, and dogs 39 pivoted to the drum are adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 40 secured to said shaft to drive the same. A bevel gear 4 1 secured to the drum 3S meshes with a gear 12 on a shaft 43 which I shaft extends to, and is driven by, the second motor is tandem with the first, in the same manner as previously describec.

. ting the shaft 20 to remain stationary.

If desired a jack shaft 45 may be driven by gearing 46 from the power shaft 31, and

any desired mechanism is then driven by the jack shaft.

' The operation of my invention is evident from the, foregoing description. It will be seen'that the power shaft 31 is constantly driven irrespective of the direction of rotation of the paddle wheel 4. Each of the unidirectional clutches comprising drums,

dogs and ratchet wheels are similar to that shown in Fig. 6. 7

Having described'my'invention I claim.

1. A Wave and current motor comprising a pair of pontoons a shaft journaled on said pontoons, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, a paddlewheel secured to said sleeve, unidirectional clutch means coupling said shaft and said wheel, a drive shaft, unidirectional clutch means coupling said sleeve and said drive shaft, unidirectional clutchmeans coupling said first named shaft and the drive shaft whereby rotation of said .wheel in either direction will rotate said drive shaft in one direction.

21A. wave and current motor comprising a pair of pontoons, a paddle wheel rotatably mounted between said pontoons, a drive shaft, means coupling said drive shaft and paddle wheel whereby either directional rotation of said wheel will rotate said drive shaft in one direction, a power shaft, gear means connecting said power shaft and said drive shaft, a second pair of pontoons, having a paddle wheel journaled thereon and a, drive shaft substantially as described, and drive means connecting said power shaft and said second drive shaft, said drive means comprising a shaft adapted to be rotated by said second drive shaft, gear means connecting said shaft and power shaft, and

unidirectional clutch means coupling said shaft and the power shaft.

A wave and current motor comprising a paddle wheel secured to said sleeve, unidirectional clutch means coupling said shaft and i said wheel, a drive shaft, unidirectional clutch means cou'pling'said sleeve and said drive shaft, unidirectional clutch means coupling said first named shaft and the drive shaft whereby rotation of said wheel in either direction will rotate said drive shaft in one direction and a hood on said pontoon enclosing the upper part of said paddle wheel. 7 V

l. A wave and current motor comprising a pair of pontoons, a shaft journaledon'said pontoons, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, a paddle wheel secured to said sleeve, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, dogs pivotedto the paddle wheel and adapted to engagesaid ratchet wheel in one direction only, a drive shaft, a gear on said shaft, a pair of gears meshing with said gear on the shaft, and unidirectional clutch means securing one. of said pair of gears to the sleeve and the second of said pair of gears to 'the'shaft. V V

A wave and current motor comprising a pair of pontoons, a shaft journaled onsaid pontoons, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, apaddle Wheel secured to said sleeve, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, dogs pivoted to thepaddle wheeland adapted to engage said ratchet wheel in one direction only, a drive.

a pair of gearsthe shaft, and

shaft, a gear on said shaft, meshing with said gear. on unidirectional clutch means securing one of said pair of gears to the sleeve and the second of said pair of gears to the, shafta power shaft, and unidirectional clutch means coupling said drive shaft and power shaft, a

power shaft, and unidirectional clutch means i coupling said drive shaft andpower shaft.

6. A wave and current motor comprising a a pair of pontoons, a shaftjournaled onsaid pontoons, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, a paddle wheel secured to said sleeve, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, dogs pivoted to the paddle wheel and adaptedtoen'gage said ratchet wheel in one direction only, a drive shaft, a gear on said drive shaft, a pair of gears meshing with said and unidirectional clutch means securing one of'said pair of gears to the sleeve and the sec ond of said pair of gears to the firstnamed shaft, a power shaft, and unidirectional clutch means couplin said drive shaft and power shaft, a second pair of'pontoons having a paddle wheel and a drive to be driven by said paddle wheel, a-shaft connecting said second drive shaft and said power shaft, and unidirectional clutch means:

coupling said power shaft and said last named shaft. r i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE E. CLAYTON,

gear on the shaft,

shaft adapted lit) 

